An American National Standard

Designation: D 5463 03

Standard Guide for

Use of Test Kits to Measure Inorganic Constituents in

Water1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 5463; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope*
1.1 This guide covers general considerations for the use of
test kits for quantitative determination of analytes in water and
wastewater. Test kits are available from various manufacturers
for the determination of a wide variety of analytes in drinking
water, surface or ground waters, domestic and industrial
feedwaters and wastes, and water used in power generation and
steam raising. See Table 1 for a listing of some of the types of
kits that are available for various inorganic analytes in water.2
1.2 Ranges, detection limits, sensitivity, accuracy, and susceptibility to interferences vary from kit to kit, depending on
the methodology selected by the manufacturer. In some cases,
kits are designed to replicate exactly an official test method of
a standard-setting organization such as the Association of
Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC), American Public Health
Association (APHA), ASTM, or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). In other cases, minor modifications
of official test methods are made for various reasons, such as to
improve performance, operator convenience, or ease of use.
Adjustments may be made to sample size, reagent volumes and
concentrations, timing, and details of the analytical finish. In
yet other cases, major changes may be made to the official test
method, such as the omission of analytical steps, change of the
analytical finish, omission of reagents, or substitution of one
reagent for another. Reagents in test kits are often combined to
obtain a fewer number and make the test easier to use.
Additives may also be used to minimize interferences and to
make the reagent more stable with time. A kit test method may
be based on a completely different technology, not approved by
any official or standard-setting organization. Combinations of
test kitsmulti-parameter test kitsmay be packaged to
satisfy the requirements of a particular application conveniently. The test kits in such combination products may be used
to make dozens of determinations of several parameters.

1.3 Test kit reagent refills are commonly available from

manufacturers. Refills permit cost savings through reuse of the
major test kit components.
1.4 Because of the wide differences among kits and methodologies for different analytes, universal instructions cannot
be provided. Instead, the user should follow the instructions
provided by the manufacturer of a particular kit.
1.5 A test kit or kit component should not be used after the
manufacturers expiration date; it is the users responsibility to
determine that the performance is satisfactory.
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. For specific
precautionary statements, see Section 10.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
D 1129 Terminology Relating to Water3
D 1192 Guide for Equipment for Sampling Water and
Steam in Closed Conduits3
D 1193 Specification for Reagent Water3
D 3370 Practices for Sampling Water from Closed Conduits3
D 4453 Practice for Handling of Ultra-Pure Water Samples3
D 4691 Practice for Measuring Elements in Water by Flame
Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry3
D 5810 Guide for Spiking into Aqueous Samples3
D 5847 Practice for Writing Quality Control Specifications
for Standard Test Methods for Water Analysis4
E 178 Practice for Dealing with Outlying Observations5
E 275 Practice for Describing and Measuring Performance
of Ultraviolet, Visible, and Near Infrared Spectrophotometers6
E 958 Practice for Measuring Practical Spectral Bandwidth
of Ultraviolet-Visible Spectrophotometers6

1
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D19 on Water and is
the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D19.05 on Inorganic Constituents in
Water.
Current edition approved June 10, 2003. Published July 2003. Originally
approved in 1993. Last previous edition approved in 1998 as D 546398.
2
Test kits for determining inorganic analytes in water are available from various
United States and foreign manufacturers, as well as from laboratory supply
companies.

Annual
Annual
5
Annual
6
Annual
4

Book
Book
Book
Book

of
of
of
of

ASTM
ASTM
ASTM
ASTM

Standards,
Standards,
Standards,
Standards,

*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.

Copyright ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

Vol
Vol
Vol
Vol

11.01.
11.02.
14.02.
03.06.

D 5463 03
TABLE 1 Availability and Types of Test Kits
Analyte

Kit Methodology A

Acidity
Alkalinity
Aluminum
Ammonia
Boron
Bromine
Cadmium
Calcium
Carbon dioxide
Chloride
Chlorine
Chlorine dioxide
Chromium (III)
Chromium (VI)
Cobalt
Copper
Cyanide
Fluoride
Hardness
Hydrazine
Hydrogen peroxide
Iodine
Iron
Lead
Manganese
Magnesium
Molybdate
Nickel
Nitrate
Nitrite
Oxygen (dissolved)
Ozone
Permanganate
pH
Phosphate
Silica
Silver
Sulfate
Sulfide
Sulfite
Thiocyanate
Tin
Vanadium
Zinc

T
C, P, T
C, P
C, P
C, P
C, P, T
C
P, T
T
A, C, P, T
C, P, T
C, P, T
C
C, P, T
C
C, P, T
C, P, T
P
C, GNG, P, T
C, P
C, P, T
C, P, T
C, P
C, P
C, P
C, T
C, P, T
C, P
C, P
C, P, T
C, P, T
C, P
C, T
C, P
C, P
C, P
P
A, C, P, T
C, P, T
C, P, T
C
C
C
C, P, T

3.2.7 material safety data sheeta federally-mandated,

safety-related document that must be made available to kit
chemistry users.
3.2.8 matrixsample contents other than the target analyte.
3.2.9 offcial methodan analytical test method officially
approved by an industry consensus organization such as
ASTM, AOAC, or APHA or by a government entity such as the
USEPA.7
3.2.10 refilla replacement package of test kit components
used in testing.
3.2.11 spikea small volume, high relative concentration
aliquot of analyte added quantitatively to a split sample as a
quality check.
3.2.12 split samplea sample that is split into sub-samples
that are intended to have the same composition as the original
sample.
4. Summary of Guide
4.1 Analytical test kits simplify the operational procedures
necessary to perform an analysis. This guide includes general
considerations relating to the procedures to be followed in
order to ensure an accurate determination. This guide also
describes, in general terms, the characteristics of some kit types
and kit components and includes some comments on their
capabilities, benefits and, where appropriate, their limitations.
5. Significance and Use
5.1 Inorganic constituents in water and wastewater must be
identified and measured to support effective water quality
monitoring and control programs. Currently, one of the simplest, most practical and cost effective means of accomplishing
this is through the use of chemical test kits and refills. A more
detailed discussion is presented in ASTM STP 1102.8
5.2 Test kits have been accepted for many applications,
including routine monitoring, compliance reporting, rapid
screening, trouble investigation, and tracking contaminant
source.
5.3 Test kits offer time-saving advantages to the user. They
are particularly appropriate for field use and usually are easy to
use. Users do not need to have a high level of technical
expertise. Relatively unskilled staff can be trained to make
accurate determinations using kits that include a premixed
liquid reagent, premeasured reagent (tablets, powders, or glass
ampoules), and premeasured sample (evacuated glass ampoules).

A
Kit Methodology: A = appearance/turbidity, C = visual colorimetric, GNG = go
no go, P = photometric, and T = titrimetric.

3. Terminology
3.1 DefinitionsFor definitions of terms used in this guide,
refer to Terminology D 1129 and Practice D 4691.
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
3.2.1 analytethe chemical or constituent being determined.
3.2.2 carryoverthe contamination of a subsequent sample
by a previous sample, typically due to incomplete cleaning of
a reused test kit component.
3.2.3 expiration datea date applied by the manufacturer
after which an accurate result is not ensured by the manufacturer.
3.2.4 finish (usually analytical finish)the analytical methodology used for the measuring step of the analysis.
3.2.5 kit (or test kit)a commercially packaged collection
of components that is intended to simplify the analytical testing
function.
3.2.6 interferencean effect of a matrix component that
might cause an analytical bias or that might prevent a successful analysis.

6. General Considerations
6.1 PersonnelThe selection of a test kit and determination
that the test kit analysis is appropriate should be conducted by
a responsible chemist. The development of suitable protocols
7
Other documents: Offcial Methods of Analysis of the Association of Offcial
Analytical Chemists, 15th Ed., AOAC, Arlington, VA, 1990. Changes are published in annual supplements. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and
Wastewater, 17th Ed., APHA, AWWA, and WPCF. Washington, DC, 1989. Methods
for the Chemical Analysis of Water and Wastes, USEPA, Cincinnati, OH, March
1983.
8
Spokes, G. Neil, and Bradley, Julie A., Performance Testing of Selected Test
Kits for Analysis of Water Samples, ASTM STP 1102, ASTM, Philadelphia, PA,
1991.

D 5463 03
eter for photo-electric color determinations. The manufacturers photometer may be based on optical filters using either
colored glass or plastic, or on interference filters or LEDs. The
filter bandwidth may be wide (up to 100-nm full width half
maximum height) for colored glass or plastic filters and LEDs
or quite narrow (10 nm) with interference filters. The laboratory spectrophotometer may have a 1- to 20-nm bandwidth and
is typically more accurate than a kit photometer or colorimeter.
Refer to Practices E 275 and E 958 for additional discussion of
colorimetry.

and conditions for safe use should be conducted by the

responsible chemist with the assistance of an industrial hygienist. The kit user may be a relatively unskilled staff person but
must be trained to an appropriate level of proficiency.
6.2 Completeness of KitsThe kits components may or
may not be complete for the required determination. The user
must assemble all instruments and materials necessary for the
determination. For example, if the test kit is used for field
screening to indicate the need for samples requiring a high
accuracy measurement, the user may need to provide a means
of preserving a sample for later measurements at a laboratory.
6.3 Protocol Established by a Responsible ChemistA
responsible chemist must determine whether the sample can be
analyzed correctly by a particular kit chemistry. The responsible chemist should determine whether matrix factors, interferences, and temperature are handled correctly by the kit
chemistry. Questions to be answered include the following:
Has the kit chemistry previously given satisfactory results
under the proposed conditions? What changes have occurred
that must be taken into account? For example, the chemist
should consider seasonal changes, new interferences, sample
pH changes, new dischargers upstream, and new process
wastes in the sample. The responsible chemist must also decide
whether the proposed kit chemistry is applicable to the
particular circumstances. For example, it is necessary to
determine whether the test range is appropriate, ensure that a
colorimetric test kit that compensates for color is used with a
highly colored sample, and ensure that a colorblind user is able
to run a test requiring visual color comparisons accurately. The
chemist must also ensure that an officially approved kit
chemistry is used when an official method is required.
6.4 Technical SupportIn case of difficulties, many kit
manufacturers may provide technical assistance.

NOTE 1Visual comparator kits may require the use of a particular

type of background illumination. The user should use the light source that
produces the correct color or spectrum of background illumination, as
specified by the manufacturer.
NOTE 2Color standards may not be permanent; reference should be
made to the manufacturers recommendations.

8.2 Titrimetric DeterminationsMany procedures depend

on measuring the volume of a standard solution required to
react with an analyte completely. The manufacturer may offer
a buret, digital titrator, drop-test, or calibrated sample container
to dispense and measure the volume of a standard solution. A
buret or digital titrator typically provides more accuracy than a
drop-test or calibrated sample container.
9. Reagents and Materials
9.1 Purity of ReagentsReagent grade or better chemicals
shall be used in all tests. Unless otherwise indicated, it is
intended that all reagents shall conform to the specifications of
the Committee on Analytical Reagents of the American Chemical Society, where such specifications are available.9 However,
these reagents may not be of sufficient purity in some cases due
to the sensitivity of the technique. It is the responsibility of the
manufacturer to provide reagents and accessory solutions of
sufficient quality to meet the performance specification claims
of the test kit. In addition, the manufacturer should specify
acceptable conditions of storage and provide expiration dates,
where appropriate. It is the responsibility of the kit user to
ensure that no unacceptable deterioration has occurred in
transit or due to improper storage conditions and that the kits
are not used improperly after their expiration dates (see 9.4).
9.2 Purity of WaterWater must be of sufficient purity that
it does not interfere with the test. Manufacturers instructions
should be followed. Unless otherwise indicated, references to
water shall be understood to mean reagent water as defined by
Type III or better of Specification D 1193.
9.3 Kit Components and PackagingThe test kit components and packaging are usually designed carefully by the
manufacturer to facilitate quick and easy determination of the
analyte. Pre-mixed liquid reagents eliminate the need for
making up reagents and offer the benefits of simplicity of use,
reduced need for operator measurements, and good immunity
to environmental effects. Test kits with unit dose disposable

7. Interferences
7.1 Kit chemistries that are based on an official test method
are subject to the same interferences as that test method. If the
kit manufacturer uses a revised version of the official test
method, the revision may increase or decrease interference
effects.
7.2 Sample carryover effects may occur if a common
sampling cup or tube is used. Appropriate care is necessary
under such conditions in order to prevent sample carryover.
The carryover may be prevented or reduced by either cleaning
the reused item or rinsing with fresh sample several times.
Aggressive cleaning action may be necessary after a sample
containing a high concentration is tested.
7.3 Careful note should be made of the manufacturers
comments concerning interferences, and appropriate action
should be taken.
7.4 Temperature may affect kit performance.
8. Apparatus
8.1 Colorimetric DeterminationsMany procedures depend on color determination with a color comparator, photometer, or spectrophotometer. The manufacturer may offer a color
comparator for visual comparisons based on liquid, glass,
plastic, or printed color standards. The manufacturer may offer
a photometer or may recommend the use of a spectrophotom-

9
Reagent Chemicals, American Chemical Society Specifications, American
Chemical Society, Washington, DC. For suggestions on the testing of reagents not
listed by the American Chemical Society, see Analar Standards for Laboratory
Chemicals, BDH Ltd., Poole, Dorset, U.K., and the United States Pharmacopeia
and National Formulary, U.S. Pharmaceutical Convention, Inc. (USPC), Rockville,
MD.

D 5463 03
11. Samples and Sampling Procedures
11.1 Sample CollectionUnless otherwise specified, collect all samples in accordance with Specification D 1192 and
Practices D 3370.
11.2 Sample HandlingFollow the kit manufacturers recommended sample handling procedures, when available. Contamination and loss are of prime concern for the determination
of trace metals. Environmental dust and impurities in apparatus
components that contact the sample are potential sources of
contamination. Containers can introduce errors in the measurement of trace metals by contributing contaminants through
leaching or surface desorption or by depleting the concentration of the analyte through adsorption. Refer to Practice
D 4453 for the handling of ultra-pure water samples.
11.3 On-Site SamplingTest kits that permit on-site analysis offer great advantages to their users, inasmuch as errorprone sample preservation techniques are often unnecessary.
However, the value of an analytical result is only as good as the
sample that is obtained, and the usual care is required to ensure
the representativeness of the sample.
11.4 Sample ContainersTake care to collect a representative sample in clean containers that will not cause contamination in any significant way.
11.5 Sample SizeThe sample size shall be sufficient to
complete the determinations. A larger sample may be necessary
when sample processing or multiple determinations, or both,
are required.
11.6 Sample Preservation and StorageThe kit method
ordinarily permits an immediate measurement. If the test result
is equivocal or the responsible chemist directs that a preserved
sample be obtained, preserve a sample in accord with the
applicable approved procedure.

reagent packs offer the further benefits of simplicity of use and

reduced need for operator measurements. In particular, tablets,
foil packs, powders, and glass ampoule reagent packaging
techniques eliminate the need for making up reagents and then
measuring the reagent volume. Glass ampoules with reagents
packaged under vacuum also offer immunity to reagent oxidation and make the measurement of sample volume unnecessary. Test kit reagent refills may often be obtained from
manufacturers. Refills save the expense of purchasing an entire
kit by permitting the reuse of major kit components.
9.4 StorageUsers should follow the manufacturers instructions for acceptable storage conditions. Some kit components can be refrigerated to prolong usability. If the user is
uncertain about past storage, a quality control check sample
(see 13.1.1) should be used to determine the acceptability of a
test component.
9.5 Kit ExpirationThe user should not use kit components
after their expiration date.
10. Safety Precautions
10.1 The majority of kit test methods use chemicals that
have some type of hazard associated with them. The responsible chemist/industrial hygienist should ensure that proper
heed is taken of warnings in the instructions. Material safety
data sheets must be obtained for each kit, and all appropriate
care should be taken based on the manufacturers warnings.
Protective clothing and safety eyewear may be required,
depending on the hazards posed by sample and kit. A ventilation hood may be required in the laboratory. Ventilation of the
work area is rarely a problem in the field, except when working
in confined spaces such as in manholes. Kits involving instruments should not be used where flammables are in use unless
previously certified as acceptable by the responsible safety
officer.
10.1.1 Test kits containing premixed reagents, including the
unit dose type of test kit, greatly reduce the need for operator
contact with chemicals and therefore improve safety compared
with the officially approved laboratory test methods.
10.1.2 The responsible chemist/industrial hygienist must
take all necessary steps to ensure that the operator performs
tests using the kits in a safe manner. Protective clothing and
safety eyewear should be used as necessary. Used test kit
components must be disposed of in accord with federal, state,
and local laws. The responsible chemist/industrial hygienist
should provide written instructions where special disposal
techniques are required.
10.2 Safety TrainingThe responsible chemist/industrial
hygienist must ensure that the operator is trained properly in
the use of the kit, with due regard to the kits safety hazards.
10.3 Right-to-Know and Other LawsThe responsible
chemist/industrial hygienist must ensure that the test user is
trained in safe use of the test kit and is informed properly
regarding the various hazards associated with the kit chemicals. The manufacturer will provide the required information
through a material safety data sheet.

12. Calibration and Standardization

12.1 Kit chemistry manufacturers may provide a precalibrated color comparator or colorimeter. Alternatively, a spectrophotometric analytical finish may be recommended. A
titration kit test method may require a drop count determination
or titration scale reading. The drop count or scale reading may
be multiplied by one factor to generate an analytical result. The
calibration accuracy depends on the accuracy of the system
design and ensuing manufacturing processes. All kits that lead
directly to an analytical result rely on an internal calibration.
Manufacturers will offer to provide a calibration chart in some
cases. Wherever possible, known reference samples or standards should be analyzed to validate the results from test kits.
13. Quality Control
13.1 Quality ControlTest kit quality control is the responsibility of the manufacturer. The manufacturer may be requested to furnish supporting quality control data. The user
should verify that the final color resulting when using a
colorimetric test kit is the same as that of a calibration sample.
For more information on Quality Control Specifications, see
Practice D 5847.
13.1.1 Quality Control Check SamplesKit quality may be
determined by occasionally running a blank sample, a known
mid-range sample, a known upper mid-range sample, and a
4

D 5463 03
14.3 Perform sample analysis procedures in accord with the
kit manufacturers instructions.
14.4 The frequency of quality control check samples should
be based on a statistical plan established to achieve a desired
level of confidence. An alternative plan is to check at least one
calibration standard after every 10 samples and at the end of
the analyses. Analyze the quality control check samples, split
samples, and spiked samples as directed by quality control
procedures.

higher than a full scale sample. The user should verify

independently that the kit calibration and recovery are satisfactory for the intended application, with due regard for
interferences typically found in the users samples.
NOTE 3In some cases, it is not possible to establish an analytical
standard solution that can be routed to a user laboratory (for example,
dissolved oxygen in water). In that event, it may be possible to use a
surrogate compound instead of the analyte. In the event of difficulty in
obtaining a standard, the manufacturer should provide the necessary
product support information.

15. Calculation
15.1 In most cases, kit test methods provide instructions that
lead to direct numeric results. The user should follow the
manufacturers instructions.
15.2 UnitsThe numeric results obtained from the test kit
should be stated clearly in commonly used units, for example,
mg/L, g/L, ppm (parts per million), or ppb (parts per billion).
If a result is presented as ppm or ppb, it should specify whether
this is a weight or volume specification. Note that ppm in gas
analyses is almost always volume per volume, whereas ppm in
dissolved gas results usually means mg/L, for example, dissolved oxygen in water. The numeric results should specify the
measurement units where chemical species may vary, for
example, nitrate as nitrogen versus nitrate as nitrate. In the use
of test kits for process control, the analyte may be measured in
terms of a treating chemical, not in mg/L of a particular ion.
15.3 The user should refer to Practice E 178 to deal with
outlying observations.

13.1.2 Split SamplesSplit samples should be analyzed

frequently. As a recommended minimum, analyze one set of
split samples every 10 samples (see 14.4).
13.1.3 Laboratory SpikesPrepare and analyze laboratory
spikes. The spiked sample should contain approximately
double the anticipated quantity of target analyte in the test
sample, and the spike should be of comparatively small
volume. The spike should not be so great as to exceed the range
of the test kit method.
13.1.4 Field SpikesField spikes may be prepared in the
laboratory and added to split samples in the field.
13.1.5 For more information on spikes, see Guide D 5810.
14. Procedure
14.1 Sample PretreatmentSample pretreatments specified
by the kit manufacturer must be conducted prior to the use of
the kit. The responsible chemist must ensure that any necessary
sample pretreatments are conducted prior to use of the kit.
Failure to conduct the sample pretreatments can result in the
generation of meaningless test results. The manufacturer
should be able to provide the necessary information, but such
procedures are often not addressed adequately in manufacturers test kit instructions.
14.2 Prepare quality control check samples in the laboratory.

16. Precision and Bias

16.1 The accuracy and precision of a test kit method should
be determined by the user for the specific application. The
reference method or official method may be used to confirm the
accuracy of a test kit method.
17. Keywords
17.1 inorganic analysis; kits; test kits; wastewater; water

SUMMARY OF CHANGES
Committee D19 has identified the location of selected changes to this standard since the last issue (D 546398)
that may impact the use of this standard.
(1) The QC Section 13 was modified.
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